1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to packaging, and, more particularly, to a system and method for packaging one or more discrete objects for safe shipping thereof.
2. Background Art
Transportation of discrete objects that are prone to being damaged presents a challenge to individuals, businesses, and shipping companies worldwide. It is an age old practice to place an object within a shell, that may be made from paper, plastic, wood, metal, etc., and to protect the objects with cushioning materials that are interposed between the objects and shell. Cushioning materials have evolved and continue to evolve to address a number of different objectives.
First and foremost, the cushioning material must be effective in protecting objects as they are transported and handled.
Second, the packaging systems must be designed to be implemented in a manner that is reasonable both from the standpoint of logistics and cost.
Third, environmental considerations dictate packaging design. Once shipping components are utilized, they are ideally either disposed of without significant environmental impact or recycled for reuse.
These objectives have caused the development of numerous different types of cushioning materials. In the most primitive form, paper, such as newspaper, is crumbled and pressed between an object and a surrounding shell. At the destination location, the paper is commonly burned or recycled.
This practice has some inherent limitations. If there is a substantial gap between the object and the surrounding shell, a substantial amount of time and effort may be required to fill that space so as to effect proper cushioning. Depending upon the effort put forth by the individual carrying out the packaging, the effectiveness thereof may vary considerably from one package to the next.
Further, given the effort involved in recycling, shortcuts may be taken to dispose of the paper at the destination location, that may have an adverse environmental impact.
Still further, it is inconvenient, and potentially impractical, to keep on hand the necessary quantity of paper, particularly in high volume operations.
Still further, this packaging technique requires that the user press the paper somewhat firmly around the object that is being shipped. It is possible that with delicate objects a significant amount of damage may be inflicted at the point of packaging, as the paper is compacted in an attempt to conform it around the objects.
Bubble wrap has been used in a similar manner as paper and has some of the inherent drawbacks associated therewith. Bubble wrap is generally more effective than paper by reason of the fact that there are captured air pockets that contribute to the cushioning effect, whereas paper relies on inconsistently formed gaps between folds in the paper.
Bubble wrap is also relatively expensive and may have to be kept on site in large sheets or rolls. For individuals, it is an inconvenience to have to purchase the bubble wrap. For businesses and shipping companies, the needed supply of bubble wrap may take up valuable and expensive office and warehouse space.
While bubble wrap is often capable of being reused, it is often disposed of with common waste. This contributes detrimentally to the accumulation of plastics in landfills.
One of the most common packaging techniques utilizes discrete components, often referred to as “peanuts” made from styrofoam or other light-weight material. The peanuts are particularly desirable from the standpoint that they can be poured into a space around an object within a shell and are very light in weight. Nonetheless, a certain amount of skill is required to install the peanuts so there are no gaps that might allow shifting of the stored object.
One particular problem with the peanuts is that they potentially take up a large volume and are relatively difficult to store and deliver. A container of some sort must be provided to confine large volumes of the peanuts at shipping facilities. Equipment may also be required at the site where the peanuts are introduced to facilitate controlled delivery thereof into shells. Overhead funneling mechanisms are commonly used with a large hopper for this purpose. Commonly, bags of the peanuts are purchased and must be loaded into the delivery structure from overhead. This is potentially an awkward and time consuming process.
Because of the light weight of the peanuts, there is a tendency of the peanuts to be moved in response to even a slight draft. This may cause the peanuts to scatter undesirably in facilities in which they are used. Their light weight also makes it difficult to accumulate the peanuts during cleanup. This may be aggravated in the event that the peanuts become electrostatically charged, which commonly occurs. The peanuts in this condition tend to cling to shipped objects, and surfaces in the vicinity of where the objects are placed into, and removed from, a shell.
The light weight of the peanuts also creates a problem for the end user. Normally when one removes an object from a shell, a volume of the peanuts is usually caused to be discharged as well. The user is thus faced with the inconvenience of accumulating these peanuts and then effecting disposal thereof.
Styrofoam peanuts have not been routinely recycled. Unless the styrofoam peanuts are appropriately confined, they may scatter at curbside pick up locations and landfills where, if not recycled, they ultimately may end up. Styrofoam, and like composition components, have a detrimental environmental impact.
There are known types of peanuts that can be dissolved in water, or the like. Those at the ultimate destination may not take the time to dissolve the peanuts as intended and, in any event, contend with the problems associated with the lightweight nature of those peanuts.
It is also known to apply an adhesive to peanuts to maintain an aggregate shape after the peanuts are introduced. While this practice avoids the problem of scattering, some liner may be required to avoid unwanted exposure of the objects to the adhesive. Additionally, the unpacking process may be complicated by having to break loose the adhered peanuts without risking damaging of the objects within the shell. Re-use of the peanuts may be impractical. Proper disposal thereof thus becomes a problem.
Another known packaging technique utilizes a foam material that is formed at the packaging site about an object within a shell. A flexible liner is conformed around the object preparatory to introducing the foam which expands to conform to the space between the object and the shell. This technique is effective, but relatively costly by reason of requiring relatively expensive chemicals and components to store and control introduction thereof. This system may also generate large blocks of hardened foam that must be disposed of at the destination location.
Another technique for packaging utilizes loose, self-contained bladders, each with a predetermined quantity of air therewithin. The bladders are stuffed into the space between the objects and the shell to afford the desired cushioning. Commonly, the bladders are made from plastic. Multiple different sizes and shapes of bladders may have to kept on hand to meet all the different needs.
Additionally, there is a problem with reusing/recycling of these bladders which makes them often times an impractical option.
These bladders also suffer from the same limitations as do the basic components, discussed above, that require the user to strategically pack the cushioning components in the space between the objects and the shell.
As the volume of packages continues to increase on a worldwide level, the need to devise packaging systems that meet the above noted objectives increases.